


The Need for Attention

by angelinea61



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-14
Updated: 2014-11-23
Packaged: 2018-02-25 09:07:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2616221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelinea61/pseuds/angelinea61
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anna joins Elsa at college only to meet and start dating the quarterback, who has a rocky relationship with her sister.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I originally had no title for this, so this just a working one. Suggestions are appreciated! This is my first piece and I'm not an English major so I'm sorry for any mistakes. This all started out in my head and turned into this story that I couldn't let go. There is a little bit of language and some creepy/stalker-y themes going on, also a bit of emotion/physical abuse talk. Please enjoy and I welcome feedback!
> 
> New update! I decided to put it into chapters, so it'd be easier to read!

The noise of the crowd was deafening. The sound was echoing off the walls of the hallway leading to the field. Why am I here? She hated being around crowds, yet here football uniforms surrounded her and pom poms Elsa sighed and looked for her sister.

“Arendelle!” Elsa shuddered at the voice calling her name.

“Hans, how nice to see you too” She deadpanned.

“Never thought I’d see you at a football game again after freshman year.” His smiled was wicked, he enjoyed seeing her uncomfortable.

“Yes, well I’m here to support my sister” Elsa pointed over to the redhead bobbing through the throng of players, until she broke through to the small opening where the platinum blonde was. “She’s a cheerleader, and has been begging for me to come to a game.”

“You have a sister, oh I remember you saying something about her once. I can’t wait to meet her.” Hans grin widened with every step Elsa’s sister took toward them

The girl was out of breath and paused to put her hands on her knees before speaking, “Hey Elsa! You came! I’m so excited, it’s only like the fourth game of the season!” She noticed her sister was not alone, “Oh hi! I’m Anna, I’m a freshman.”

“Anna, this is Hans and we’re going now, I see Kristoff.” Elsa took Anna by the wrist and led her away from Hans.

“OK bye!” Anna giggled.

“Hey Elsa! You came out of your cave! Hey Anna!” The tall blonde smiled at the two sisters, one having fun and one looking sorely out of place. “I didn’t know you owned anything of school colors,” He pointed at the burgundy shirt emblazoned with “Sterling State Hawks” on the front.

“I do to own school spirit things! Stop teasing me!” Elsa couldn’t hold back her laugh. “Aren’t you supposed to be playing a game or something soon?”

“Yes I am, and my quarterback, Hans, is glaring at me as we speak, so I must bid you ado ladies,” Kristoff bowed jokingly and ran over to join the team.

“Here’s your ticket, it’s front row!” Anna was bursting with excitement, so Elsa just smiled and took the ticket.

The seat was truly front row. In fact it was right behind the team where the cheerleaders lined up to their jumps and cheers. Elsa noticed that she always held her breath every time Anna was thrown up into the air to do some complicated trick. Fellow classmates, many who showed their school pride with face and body paint, surrounded her. She waved at Kristoff before he put on his helmet and run out to the field. She saw the familiar auburn hair jogging toward and she groaned inwardly.

“Um, quarterback aren’t you running the wrong way?” Elsa did no hide the annoyance in her voice.

“Can’t I say hi to my favorite girl? Look when we win tonight, I’m giving you the game ball, unless of course you’d like me to give it to your sister. She and I are going on a date tomorrow night.” Hans glanced over toward Anna, who returned with a small wave.

“You need to stay away from my sister, Hans.” Elsa felt something watching and she realized there was a camera trained on the starting quarterback.

“I could always cancel it and take you if you’re jealous?” He raised an eyebrow with a smug look on his face. Elsa felt dirty with his eyes searching every inch of her. She could feel the hatred inside her boiling under her skin. She had vowed to herself that she would not let him try to sweet talk her again. Elsa had newfound strength.

“Fuck you Hans.” She began to leave the stands.

“I already did remember?”

Elsa whipped around and smacked Hans as hard as she could across his face. _Wipe that smug look off his face._ She heard cheers rising from the surrounding fans and she stormed off, trying to keep her tears at bay. She knew Anna, and probably a national TV audience, had just seen what happened. The blonde threw a hand over her mouth to stifle a sob. She no longer cared about the looks she was getting and ran across campus till she got back to her apartment. It was there she finally cried the hardest she had ever cried since freshman year.

 ---

_“Well it looks like his ego isn’t too bruised from that smack before the game.”_

_“Yes, in fact I think Westerguard is playing better than he has all season, Bob.”_

_“Makes you wonder what he did to that girl to deserve that slap, doesn’t Jim?”_

_“I think the coach will be looking for her to do that to him before every game I think!”_

Elsa sat in a stupor on the daybed in the small living space of her and Anna’s apartment. She didn’t know why she turned on the TV. She shuddered at every mention of Hans’ name. Why did the announcers find the whole interaction funny? Her body was tired, nauseous and felt like 100 bricks were on her head. The blonde picked up the glass in front of her downing the rest of its’ contents. The second she had entered the door she went straight for the bottle of wine Kristoff bought her as a joke on his 21st birthday a month ago.  
 _“ I already did remember?”_  
She moved to her room and cocooned in the blankets, silently letting the tears fall once more.


	2. Chapter 2

Anna slipped the key into the lock of the door. A single light illuminated the space. Kristoff had wanted to come up and talk to her sister, but when they saw the windows dark, they decided to leave the situation alone for now. As for what the situation was, Anna was unsure. Elsa was never known to just smack someone, well at least not the Elsa Anna thought she knew. She let out a small sigh. The redhead glanced at the small family portrait next to the TV. All four people in the picture smiled brightly back.

Anna remembered taking the picture like it was yesterday. She had been six and her older sister had been the world to her. They did everything together; she had been upset that her and Elsa couldn’t be in the same class when she started school. Shortly after the picture had been taken, Elsa had started growing distant, becoming more concerned about school. The blonde became easily spooked by the slightest move and grew cautious around new situations. Their parents had called it a phase; she would get over it. As the blonde grew older it became anxiety. No one explained anything to Anna. She never knew why her sister was scared of everything. She knew that she tried to be scared of things so she could try to get her sister back, have even the littlest thing to have in common. She tried her hardest to help her sister, but what could she do, when all Elsa ever did was tell her to go away?

Anna remembered with vivid detail the day she lost Elsa. It was the day their parents died. They had gone up to Sterling for parents’ weekend Elsa’s freshman year. They sent text messages with pictures of the football game and all the cheesy activities they made the parents do with their children. Anna had saved each picture. In one, Elsa was actually smiling.

It was supposed to be a four-hour drive home. It had been raining all day, her dad was driving and a deer had been in the road. He swerved and the car hydroplaned off the road. The police said the car had flipped at least five times.

Elsa never called, so Anna was surprised when the caller id read her name.

“Anna, something happened.”

“Elsa, what’s wrong? What happened?”

“Mamma and Papa, they’re gone, Anna.” When her sister had said those words, she felt cold. She heard how lifeless her sister’s voice had been. _They’re gone._ Where? Where had they gone? Her world stopped moving.

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“The car….rolled…dead on arrival.” Elsa’s words were garbled and broken by sobs. Anna heard every other word. “Anna, I’m coming home.” Her sister’s voice was holding, “Uncle Fredrick is coming to get me, and we should be home tomorrow. We, we have to plan things.” Anna thought she heard a man’s voice telling her sister that everything was going to be ok. She hung up the phone, mentally processing the conversation.

In the end, they had to sell their family home and Anna had to move to Pennsylvania with her aunt and uncle and a cousin she barely knew.

“Elsa, why do I have to go with uncle Fredrick? We’ve only met him and aunt Chloe and Rebecca like three times in my life! Why can’t I move upstate with you?”

“Anna, you need to finish school, I can’t take care of you and go to class. Besides I live in a dorm with a roommate I don’t get along with, and it’s all very complicated ok? I’m only 17, almost 18, and can hardly take care of myself let alone you. Look, I’m not trying to hurt your feelings, Anna, but this is the best option. You’ll thank me later, uncle Fredrick said that you’ll have your own room still and Rebecca is only a year older than you. You make friends fast Anna, I know you’ll fit in.”

Elsa went back to school after Christmas and that was the last time Anna saw her sister for two and a half long years.

Anna brought herself out of her thoughts. The clock on the counter said it was past one in the morning. She sighed again, hating that she brought up such hurtful memories. Anna reflected on the positives that had happened in her first three months of college. Elsa had really tried to make her sister feel welcome in the apartment. It was only a one bedroom, so Elsa had gotten a daybed for the living room. The blonde had remembered Anna’s favorite colors and had everything in pink and green. She walked over to Elsa’s door. Her sister was sleeping with a pained look on her face. Anna knew her sister was upset and decided to lie down next to her and hug her.

\---

Hans had been very punctual, knocking on the door at six on the dot. He half expected to be greeted by Elsa with another smack, but Anna had squeezed out the small opening, muttering a quick goodbye. Before the door closed he distinctly heard “ Be back by 9, or I’ll hurt you.”

He had to laugh; of course her older sister would be overprotective. What was that reputation he had on campus? Hans just shook his head; he had been called many things since the middle of last school year.

The car ride to the restaurant was quiet. Anna was impressed by the fancy sports car and fidgeted the entire drive. He offered to buy her a glass of wine, but she did not accept like the other girls before her. Hans asked her simple questions listening to her ramble on about her friends back home and classes. He drowned her out until she began mentioning her sister.

“So Elsa never mentioned a sister before” Hans lied, cutting off Anna’s sentence. He knew Anna was Elsa’s sister. Elsa had said something about her. Hans knew more than the redhead thought. He moved his hand to cover the wicked smile playing at his lips.

“Yeah, uh, we’ve just started becoming close again.” Anna had shrunk down in her chair, bright mood swiftly moving to a melancholy one. “We had some conflicts, I guess? I never knew why what happened happened, but it did.”

“Siblings are the worst. I have a lot of older brothers and I didn’t get along with some of them. I still don’t talk to some of them.” Hans put on an empathetic look with a small smile; he knew would melt a heart.

“That’s horrible.” Anna threw her hands over her heart.

“That’s family, I guess.”

“Yeah.”

“What else about her? Any secrets I should know about?” His eyes grew mischievous, a new glint appeared in the green of his irises, like someone about to gain the upper hand on an opponent. Anna, still looking down at the table, did not notice this change let out a laugh.

“Ha, well this isn’t a surprise to you, but she doesn’t like you. She made that clear, uh… yesterday. But she keeps to herself - aren’t you the one who should be telling me about my sister? You are in the same year and fields of study.” She darkened, why was everyone she asked about her sister being so evasive? Even Kristoff had beat around the proverbial bush last night after the game when she asked about Elsa. “I’ve come to the understanding that my sister doesn’t want to tell me something, and I know you know more than you let on.” She leveled her eyes to meet his.

Her seriousness was a refreshing change for Hans; he was growing tired of her bubbly, optimistic personality. “We had a couple of classes together.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but he was being honest, and Anna had clearly bought it. Her face turned downtrodden again; Hans signaled for the check.

\---

The date had gone south fast, but Anna put on a smile when she walked in the door, so not to alarm Elsa. She knew her sister would be waiting to pounce on even the slightest indiscretion Hans made. Elsa was hunched over her laptop typing at break-neck speed not even stopping to say hi until she had finished her thought five minutes later.

“Hi, sorry, just typing this paper that’s due Wednesday.”

“But it’s Sunday? Why are you working so hard? Did you even eat?” Anna worried about Elsa, who had always been naturally skinny, but ate enough to keep a bird alive and could run on a treadmill for hours on end. All she noticed in the sink was the glass she had used earlier and knife that looked like it had peanut butter on it.

“It’s a paper on foreign policy so I need to make it practically perfect if I want an internship this summer, and I had a sandwich.” The blonde held up a plate with half eaten crust up as proof. “How did the date go?” Anna was waiting for the question.

“It went fine, dinner and nothing more. He was a gentleman too.” She left out the awkward conversation and ending.

“Really? He didn’t even bring up last night? Its only replaying on every major network, but then again, he’s probably reveling in the limelight. Let me guess, Hans took you to the steakhouse, offered you champagne and stared at you talking the entire time?” Elsa’s voice sounded haughty almost bordering on an “I told you so” tone.

“Did you follow us or something?” Anna felt her cheeks redden with anger.

“No, I just know from experience.”

“What?” Her sister sounded nonchalant “You and Hans? You hate him!”

“Well apparently I didn’t hate him freshman year. Anna, don’t find yourself flattered, he does that for every girl he takes on a date. Then uses.”

Anna didn’t know if she should be mad or surprised at this revelation. “Oh so now he’s using me? What makes you think that, Elsa? You really don’t know everything!”

“Well, you’re old enough to make your own decisions, so fine then, go another date with him. Don’t ask me for advice or ideas, anything.” Elsa headed for her room.

“What advice could you give? I’ve never seen you on a date.” The redhead crossed her arms.

Elsa mimicked her sister, “I know a lot more than you think.” The door slammed with a resounding hollow ring.

 


	3. Chapter 3

“What happened between my sister and Hans?” Anna cornered Kristoff the next day after he left practice at the stadium. “Why is she so against me going on a date with him? You’re his friend, you’re her friend, talk to her!” She raised her hands in an over-exaggerated attempt to grab the linebacker by the shoulders and shake him.

“Friends is a nice term for me putting up with Hans. They dated, but that’s all I’m telling you. Your sister has her reasons for not liking him and I agree with her, but give her time to tell you.” The tall blond began to walk toward his beat up truck, “Want a ride?”

“Wait, what? She said they went on a date, as in one date, and you’re telling me they dated. Like as in more than one date. I’m confused” Kristoff turned around to the redhead, “It was more than one date, and it didn’t end pretty, ok?”

“Seriously? That’s it? You’re going to drop crazy news like that and no elaborate on that? The number of dates people go on is kinda important. Like were they ‘official? I need details!” she was jumping up and down hanging onto his arm.

He swung his arm in an attempt to swat her away, “Ok, yes they were ‘official.’ He was the starting quarterback, she was the daughter of a U.S. senator you do the math. He saw her as a status symbol; it was like high school all over again. You can be very annoying you know that?”

Anna smiled sweetly, “I call it being adorably inquisitive.”

“Anna, are you coming?” They both glanced up to see Hans waiting next to his car.

“I gotta go, thanks or whatever.” Anna jogged over to Hans and ducked into the passenger seat.

Kristoff threw the rest of his gear into the back of the truck. He shook his shaggy bangs out of his eyes, “Of all people in this university, she had to pick the one who just happened to have dated her sister. One with a very nasty breakup. Lord you are truly testing me.”

\---

Hans finally had some time to himself. The past week and a half had been a whirlwind of activity. After the first date, Hans had been ever the gentleman escorting Anna to her classes and picking her up after her practices were over. He took her on a second date that ended up being a shopping spree for the redhead. He was perfectly ok with that, anything to wrap her around his finger. It had all worked because yesterday afternoon she had invited him into their apartment. The girl was so dumb; she had bought the whole “I need to use the bathroom” excuse. He searched anything and everything he could get his hands on. Hans knew he had a short time span, cursing that the blonde kept her laptop password protected. He did however get a detailed list of her medicines and helped himself to a few of her things. Any little thing to break this façade she built. Enough to rattle her into admitting she was wrong.

He was the victim in all this; she forced him to things. He was not a bad person, his family was wrong, everyone was wrong, she was wrong. Being the youngest member of his family, he was forgotten, bullied, left behind. He always tried to show his parents that he was made of something; he could be something.

That’s why football was important: he could shine. Hans called the shots as quarterback; something he could never do growing up. When he was little he was forced to do bad things to get noticed by his parents, pushing his little sister down the slide and breaking her arm had allowed him to spend a whole three days with his father. Of course the entire time his father spanked him and told him to shut up, not believing Hans when he said that the voices told him to do it.

Once again those voices were back, they had been every since freshman year. At first they had been quiet. Hans always called them “they” since they never gave him a name. They had told him that Elsa needed to pay attention to him. She left him to deal with her family, when she had needed to be with him. She had only gone to one football game that year and was always turning him down. Oh, but he had worn her down and eventually got her to say yes.

Hans didn’t know why the voices had picked her. The first time her saw her was the first time he had heard the voices in a long time. Maybe that’s why people call it love at first sight. From that first second he saw her; he became obsessed. The blonde had not returned the feelings at all in their brief courtship. He saw in her eyes that she felt like she was doing him a favor, which meant she held all the cards. The voices certainly did not approve that. Hans, or more likely, the voices needed the control, that way she would pay attention to him, to them. If they had the control then she wouldn’t be a free to walk away whenever she felt like it.

Those voices led him here today. Anna had a cheerleading sleepover last night, so Hans had all the time in the world to pickup where he had left off before he met the girl. The voices told him that she needed to be put in line. If he wanted to succeed she would have to be taught to pay attention too. He was pulled from his thoughts by a motion in front of him.

Elsa was always on time. Today was no different. 7:30 am not a second early or late she came down the stairs. Hans couldn’t hide the smile on his face as he admired the thin girl start stretching on the curb. He raised a Nikon D7100 to his eye and began to click away. It was like a rare form of art watching her begin to jog around the lake next to the complex. The way the fabric of her tight, pale lavender tank top pulled across her torso with each swift back and forth motion of her body. The swing of her braid fell into a rhythm that almost put him into a coma. Once he had enough photos he’d finally confront her and tell her how he’d paying attention to her for a while, then he’d force her to do the same thing. He smiled at the thought of her being touched at all the effort he had put into this. Yes, she would definitely find this thoughtful.

After all one thoughtful act begets another right? 


	4. Chapter 4

A few days turned in weeks, then a month had gone by and Anna and Elsa fell into an uneasy peace. Elsa became busy with work and school, Anna with school, cheerleading and Hans. And when the sisters were together, they said little to each other. Anna began spending more time at Hans’s apartment, returning to theirs only after her sister went to bed.

Anna still didn’t believe Elsa about Hans, he was always nice to her and never tried anything. He did give her little looks that made her shiver, but she brushed them off as butterflies for her first real boyfriend. If she could call him that. She tried asking him on their last date what they were, but he didn’t give a straight answer. And now even Kristoff was ganging up on Hans. Last time Anna had delivered his laundry that Elsa did for him he told her that Hans always gave him the creeps. He told her to be careful and to not let him pressure her. _I’m an adult, why does everyone keep telling me to look out, like I’m a little kid?_

Sure, she and Hans made out a lot, but it never went more than that, Anna told him she didn’t want to do anything serious. He grabbed her a little harder than normal when trying to get her attention, but she didn’t think anything of it. She had begun to notice than Hans was acting strange lately. He didn’t like her going out on Friday nights with friends and he almost knocked out Kristoff when he hugged her after the last home game. When she had called him out on it, he told her he was just jealous.

“Jealous of what? Of Kristoff? He’s a friend, and I’ve always invited you to come out with me but you never want to go.”

Hans shrugged “We’ll talk about it later, but why don’t you just stay with me this weekend? I think those friends of yours are trying to get you into trouble and I don’t like it.”

“Wh-what? All we do is go to like a soccer game or watch a movie. How is that trouble? What do you think we secretly go out and drink behind your back?” Anna let out a small laugh that resulted in a glare that sent chills down her spine, from her boyfriend. She immediately shrank behind her book she held in front of her.

“Like I said, Anna, we’ll talk about this later.” The matter was considered final.

\---

The first week of December, Anna remembered she left something at the apartment. Elsa took all her classes early so could work at the law firm in the afternoon. There’d be no chance of running into her sister. She rounded the corner and when hearing her sister’s voice she froze in her tracks.

“I’m going to be late!” Elsa tapped one of her nude sky-high heels impatiently. Anna was impressed, her sister was impeccably dressed in a light blue sweater and white button-down combo and dove grey wide-leg slacks. Her platinum hair was neatly arranged in a chignon at the base of her neck meeting the clasp of their mother’s pearl necklace. She checked her watch and frowned.

“Its just a flat tire! I can do this in my sleep, I’ll have it done in no time.” Kristoff’s voice floated over the sliver Honda. “Have you heard from Anna?”

“Ha! He let me have Thanksgiving with her last week.” Anna could hear the resentment in Elsa’s voice. She thought back to Thursday. The two had shared a small, very quiet meal from the care package their uncle sent them.

“You mean she isn’t staying here?” The taller blond stretched his arm pointing at the small balcony of their unit.

“Barely,” Elsa sighed. “She comes home after she knows I’m in my room and she usually is still asleep when I leave for class.” She shook her head, defeated.

“Well, I’ve been watching if that helps your nerves. So far I haven’t seen anything, not a scratch or a hair out of place. Hans hasn’t really even talked about her at practices either. If something’s wrong, they’ve got a good front up, or Hans is getting smarter.” Kristoff shared Elsa’s defeated mood. “Why haven’t you told her anything?” He quietly asked.

Elsa peered up, “She’s not the same person she was three years ago. Anna hasn’t completely put her guard down around me, there’s no way she’ll listen to me. It’s like she afraid I’ll send her back to Pennsylvania. Sometimes I wonder why she chose to go to school here, was it for me or just to get away from there?”

The burly football player’s face reddened, “Don’t you dare turn this back around to you! Nothing is your fault when it comes to what he did, but it is your fault that he still walking around this campus. He is stalking you and now he’s using your sister as a way to do it. He has been stalking you since freshman year, Elsa! You two had your thing, you stopped it because he was hurting you and he’s been obsessed ever since. You had the chance to do something about it and you didn’t! But you have the chance now. So tell Anna, we can take him down.” Kristoff stood up and threw the wrench to the ground where it landed with a sharp, metallic thud. He reached out and took Elsa by the shoulders, “Don’t let this chance go by. If you don’t tell Anna, I will. What about Mr. Lawyer, does he know?”

“Mr. Lawyer knows pieces, not the hard ones but he knows some. Whitt understands that I didn’t want to make a big fuss. He agrees with you though. Tonight, I’ll sit down and tell him. Everything, then I’ll tell Anna. Whitt is a lawyer so he knows what we can do.” She sniffled.

“This makes it what date 6? And on a weeknight! Elsa Arendelle you continue to surprise me.” Kristoff’s tone turned back to his jovial nature, “Where is it this time?”

“Uh I think that Italian restaurant in Warrensburg? And it’s date 7. We’re leaving from the office.” Anna could see her sister’s face beginning to brighten, and Anna suddenly felt bad for not ever noticing why her sister had become so happy as of late. Elsa was dating and here all she had been doing is holding a grudge against her these past few months for trying to tell her to be careful. Also Elsa was right, she still didn’t trust her. And what were they talking about Hans like that? Stalking Elsa? A thing they had? She was left with many unanswered questions, questions she knew Hans probably wouldn’t answer. He did ask a lot of questions about her sister back in October on their first two dates.

“And how does Chambers feel about the junior partner taking his office assistant out? And when do I get to meet this Whittaker?” Kristoff puffed up his chest, “Someone has to set this man straight about dating my closest friend.”

“How about this weekend?” Elsa giggled. “Whitt’s has been wondering about the boy whose laundry I do, said something about trying to teach him? Thanks again for fixing my tire.”

The blond threw his tools in the bed of his truck, “No problem and I’ll pick it up this weekend when I meet this fellow to take it and get a new tire and a tune up.”

As the two departed the parking lot Anna came up with an idea. She sent a quick text to Hans: _Let’s go out tonight! I heard there was this yummy Italian place in Warrensburg!_ She smiled when he replied yes. Let’s test this theory of stalking.

What she didn’t notice was that the text from her boyfriend’s phone came from beat up Mazda parked four spots away from where Elsa’s car was, and that a certain auburn football player heard the conversation.

\---

Hans was furious. The linebacker was right about pretty much everything that he had said to Elsa. It only had taken him three years to figure this out. He was mad that Anna suggested the restaurant before he did. That meant she was in the area. How much of the conversation had she heard? Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of red hair bounding up the steps. She had heard something he knew it. Once he knew she was inside the apartment, he got up and slammed the door to the car. He marched to the next building over where he parked his BMW. That conversation and how much Anna had heard could cause this whole thing to come crashing down. Hans was mad that he had been very lazy in the last few months. Anna and classes have taken a toll on his time watching and planning.

The girl was still mad at her sister for something that happened months ago and she stayed with Hans every second so she didn’t have to be with her. Sometimes the redhead made him question why he was doing this in the first place. Her personality was downright bubbly, she talked for hours on end, and she always wanted to do cutesy couple things like hold hands or go to a pumpkin patch on a weekend. Turns out though, that the girl didn’t know much about Elsa. The platinum blonde was just as elusive when she was younger than she was now apparently. The two girls had a strained relationship growing up; Elsa suffered from anxiety and depression and didn’t hang out with many. Of course Hans already knew this. Elsa had told him a little of her formative years, but Hans had gotten the rest from her medical file he’d stolen. He also knew that just before Elsa went away to college, the girl had taken an almost 360 degree turn around. She began to open up to some, including Anna, thanks to a new medicine. Hans leaned over to the glove box and pulled out the Nikon along with a stack of photos and an iPad. He started the car and drove to the law office where Elsa worked.

Once there, he pulled up the Internet and tapped the law firm’s website in. A formal site came up baring a picture of the partners. Hans directed to the bios page and scrolled till he saw the name: Whittaker Chambers. He let out a low whistle, “You seemed to have snagged your boss’s son. Well done, I applaud you.” His voice was dry while staring at the smiling face of Elsa’s date. The quarterback reached back over to the glove box to double check that the Colt .45 was secured in place. Elsa was right in the fact that it was her fault he was here, she had her choice freshman year and she made the wrong one. It was also going to be her fault that she was making so much collateral damage with Kristoff, Anna, and now this Whitt.

“Let’s hope I don’t have to use you tonight.” 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some tough stuff in it. Just a head's up.

“And that’s the story of how I almost flunked out of law school.” Whittaker Chambers let out a hearty laugh. Whittaker was a tall, broad shoulder man of 24. He had clean green eyes that gave away all of his emotions Elsa had noticed and always could tell when he was happy or sad. He wore suits at the law firm but every chance he got he was dressed like the frat boy he was in a polo, shorts (even in the winter) and loafers. Whitt ran his fingers through his short brown hair.

Elsa smiled back, “Well I’m glad you didn’t because if you did, we wouldn’t be here.”

“And if we weren’t here, I couldn’t tell all my buddies from school that my girlfriend is way hotter than theirs. They’re all waiting to see you next weekend.” He reached over and took her hand, “Would that be too much?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been fine lately since my doctor upped the dosage after what happened this summer-“

“Elsa, I don’t want to overwhelm you. If it is too much or if think we’re going to fast we’ll leave. I really care about you.” He started stroking the back of her hand.

The blonde shook her head, “No I need, want to get out of my box. I care about you too and I want to meet your friends. Which will probably be more nerve racking that meeting your parents, since I already know them.”

“Have you talked to Anna?”

“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about, tonight. Kristoff says I should tell her, before it goes too far, but I think it already has. So I’m going to tell you everything now.” She glanced at Whitt who nodded for her to go on.

“It started freshman year, we had some classes together because I’m a business minor and he’s a major. So we started talking and he asked me out. We had only gone on like two dates when my parents died. Hans was the only person I could think of to call. He drove me to the police station and then the hospital, he was there when identified my parents and when I called Anna.

“Then we took a break for the rest of the semester because I had to go home to settle things. I came back after Christmas and we got back together. At first everything was fine, but then little things started happening. A shoulder grab too hard, an insult, then it turned to full on blows sometimes. Especially when he drank.” She winced at the past pain and rubbed her sides.

“He forced me to do things I didn’t want to, he exploited my anxieties and fears. He made me send him pictures.”

“What kind of pictures?” Whitt’s voice was low and growling.

“Of myself, naked.” She replied her voice even lower. “He was smart though, he never hit me above my neck, and he hit pretty hard. I finally told him to get lost one day after he berated me in the quad.

“Kristoff had saw it, he was also in a few of our classes, and he saw Hans grabbing and shaking me. Kirstoff followed us when Hans tried to take me in secluded spot. That was the first time he smacked me across my face. His ring cut my cheek and Kristoff came up and started hit Hans telling him to stop. Hans hit back of course, and he broke Kristoff’s nose. Then he ran off and left me there.

“Kristoff wanted to kill him. He got me back to his dorm and he cleaned me up and then he got really mad after I took my jacket off and my shirt pulled up and he saw the fading bruise on my hip. And I never told Anna about this summer because I have no proof that Hans was the one who broke into the old apartment.”

“Elsa she needs to know all of this, more so now after you tried to kill yourself after this summer. If he was the one who broke into your apartment and left that note that made you think whatever the hell you were thinking. You’re in a different state of mind now, one that is hopefully much clearer in thinking. Why didn’t you do something in the beginning?” There was pure concern in Whitt’s voice. His eyes betrayed him, not hiding the worry and sadness he felt, but he didn’t say.

“I don’t know, honestly I didn’t want to be that girl blaming the star freshman quarterback. I guess I thought that people would think I was trying to get money or noticed, something. I thought that I’d be the one persecuted, not him.”

“How much does Hans know?”

She took a deep breath, trying to think of everything. “Honestly, I have no clue. He probably knows the basic stuff you can find on the Internet. But knowing Hans and his family connections he may have done some digging. He probably knows my parents’ financial history and how much they left us. Where my aunt and uncle live, how much I make, he probably even knows about you now.” She left the last sentence hang in the air. Even though she knew she hadn’t told Anna about Whitt, Hans, if he was stalking her, knew.

“So Kristoff thinks Hans is stalking you and now he’s upping the ante, by dating Anna? Do you have proof?” The brunet had turned his lawyer’s cap on. “How much proof, if any, do you have? Enough to take to the cops? Do you have any pictures of the bruises? Or of the pictures you sent him?”

All Elsa could do was shake her head in shame. “I got rid of as much as I could. I have no proof of anything. Ask Kristoff, he may have gotten pictures from that day, but as for the pictures I sent Hans, Kristoff has a tech friend who thinks he got all of them to disappear. Unless of course Hans has hard copies of them.”

“Thinking that they are all gone and knowing that they are all gone, are two different things, Elsa.” He moved his chair around the table to sit next to her. “But no matter what, I’ll be here, I’ll help you get through this, and we’ll get Anna to see that too.” Whitt took her face in his hands and gave her a lingering kiss. He felt Elsa stiffen, “What’s wrong?”

“Anna and Hans are here.” Whitt followed her stare and gave a small wave to the couple that had clearly been watching them.

\---

Anna watched as Hans finished his third (third!) bourbon when the cute brunet kissed Elsa. His eyes never once left that table for two where they sat. Hans didn’t say much at all tonight.

“Are you mad at me? What did I do?” Anna grabbed his wrist pleading with him.

“We’ll talk about it later.” He brushed her hand off.

Anna sat up, “No, we’ll talk about this now. I hate that you always say that, because we never, ever talk about it later. Now are you upset or what?” She could hear her voice rising.

Hans turned and looked her straight in the eye, “Let’s no cause a scene now, dear. I’m not upset with you. Happy?”

Anna felt her blood run cold, he never sounded like that before, so vicious and angry. She was going to reply when she heard someone clearing her throat.

“Hi Anna, Hans, funny running into you here.” She raised her head so she was eye level with her sister. Elsa’s face was a mask, plastered with a smile that was clearly fake. “Uh, this is Whittaker Chambers.”

The brunet held out a hand to Anna, “Nice to meet you, I was really ready to meet the girlfriend’s family so soon, but here I am!” He reached over to Hans to shake his hand, Hans shook his hand firmly.

“The pleasure is all mine, friend.” Hans' words were starting to slur. “Why don’t we get together sometime, the four of us? It’d be a hell of a time I bet!” He raised his glass in a mock toast as Elsa grabbed Whitt’s arm and steered him away from the table.

“Yeah, we’ll think about it!” she called back as they practically ran away from the table. Anna thought she felt the table crack under the pressure Hans’ hand as the older man threw a protective arm and coat around her sister. He stood up, left two one hundred dollar bills on the table and began to follow them.

“Wait a minute!” Anna ran after him, reaching him in time before he unlocked the car. She grabbed the keys, “No way am I letting you drive, and you’re drunk.” She silently prayed her sister wasn’t here to see this, thankfully she saw the taillights of Elsa’s car leaving the parking lot.

Hans’s spun around and held her wrist in a bone breaking hold. “It’s my damn car and I’m driving it, so give me back the keys before I make you regret it.” If she thought his earlier tone was scary this voice was downright inhuman. The lighting of the lot made him seem like a horror movie villain, his face perfectly shadowed in the night as he brought his face to hers. The smell of bourbon was too strong and she gagged on his breaths. “Why don’t you hand them back now?”

Anna stood her ground and crossed her arms across her chest. “I’m not getting in that car with you then, I’ll call a cab!” As she said the words a silver flash caught her eye.

“Anna get in, I knew he’d try and pull that stunt.” Relief washed over her. “And let go of her arm, now.” Elsa’s voice had a similar growl to it one that seemed to command Hans, for he let her wrist drop. All he did was walk back to the car like a whipped puppy. 


	6. Chapter 6

Hans couldn’t believe he let them win. Again. Elsa’s eyes had bored into his skull and had sent some kind of trigger to his brain. She was stronger than he though, sure his little stunt this past summer had set her over the edge, but she was bouncing back. A fact he did not like nor take lightly. The lawyer was getting to her, he guessed. She most likely had told him of her past, and now they were building a case. He cursed himself for seeing the easy way out of dating the sister in order to get closer; he was digging his own grave.

He didn’t pay attention to wear his BMW was going; he didn’t really care. He drove into the darkness, going on autopilot. Hans picked up the bottle of whiskey he hid in the backseat and took a long swig. Wiping the back of his hand across his mouth he finished the rest of the bottle’s contents and threw it to the floor. The car swerved to the left then back to the right before heading toward the headlights coming. Luckily the car stopped and was missed by mere inches by the speeding sports car. The BMW careened off the side of the road straight into a tree.

The driver of the car that had stopped ran to Hans. His head was bloodied, but the quarterback was conscious.

“Are you alright? Police are on their way!” the driver was concerned.

“Get away from me I’m fine!” Hans batted away the person and got out of the wreckage.

“You should stay still, you don’t know how bad you’re hurt!”

He disregarded the person’s pleas and walked over to the passenger side. With inhuman strength he pried the smashed door open to access the glove box. “Thanks!” he waved, raised the Colt in his right hand and let off a shot. “Can’t have someone tell where I’m going.” He calmly spun around and strolled into the woods.

\---

The car ride back to the apartment was quiet at first. The only sound was the radio, playing cheery Christmas songs that could not uplift the somber mood of the car’s passengers. Normally, Anna never let a silence go on long, she always found a topic to ramble about. She watched as this man she just met comfort her sister by holding her hand over the gearshift, gently rubbing her knuckles. She wanted to say something, anything, to ease the tension of the tiny space. As she opened her mouth, Elsa broke the seal.

“Anna, we need to talk.”

\---

Elsa told Anna the whole story. Even the parts she didn’t tell Whitt. She gauged his reactions as she drove the curves and dips of the highway, wondering how he viewed her now. Now that everything was open, did he still like her? She felt a thousand pounds lighter, never realizing how much her scars weighed her down.

Kristoff was waiting outside the door when they got back two hours later. He grabbed her and held her in a tight hug and she noticed that she was crying. Once inside they all sat in the small living room, not talking. Whitt just let her cry.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Anna’s question came out small. She too had begun crying. Kristoff moved over to comfort her.

“I tried, Anna, so many times I tried. I’m sorry.”

“No I’m the one who should be sorry. I was stubborn; you did try. And I should have known, the signs were there. I can’t believe it. It’s also my fault about tonight. I heard you and Kristoff talking this morning. I told Hans to go to that restaurant. I wanted to see how he’d react, to see if what I heard this morning was true. Because he’s never done some of the things you told me, although the signs were there. The way he’d grit his teeth, the way he’d shake me like a rag doll, and the pressure. He did leave a bruise once on my arm.”

At that Elsa’s eyes grew wide. “Anna you didn’t did you? I’ll kill him, I swear if he did anything-“

“No I didn’t sleep with him, but there may have be a picture or two.” She cast her down staring at spot on the carpet. “What happened this summer?”

“The old apartment, someone-“

“Hans.” Kristoff interjected.

Elsa glared, but continued on, “Someone broke in and tore the place up. Cushions slashed, curtains pulled down, and things everywhere. The worst was in the bathroom. The tub was red, pigs’ blood the police said. On the mirror was written: ‘I will get what is mine.’ I was scared and I didn’t know what to do, I’m sorry I can’t finish it’s too much. Kristoff?”

“Right, it shook up your sister really bad. She was doing fine, her doctor wanted to start decreasing the amount of her medicine. But this, this sent her back to this place, a place I couldn’t get her out of almost.” He turned to her sister, his eyes showing fear and concern. “She stayed with me for awhile, until she got this place. About a week after the incident, I came home from a late workout with the team. The lights were off, so I guess I thought Elsa had gone to bed, so I went to shower.

“She never told me how bad she was hurting. I found her submerged in the tub. I pulled her out, she barely had a pulse.” Kristoff’s voice cracked, his eyes glistening with tears. Elsa was sobbing now, buried in Whitt’s side. “Why? Elsa, why? She had alcohol and three types of meds in her system. I never want to see someone get his or her stomach pumped ever again. God, I felt like a part of me was dying. I wanted to beat Hans unrecognizable for doing that. For scaring someone, already broken and fragile, that they drove themself to do the unthinkable, just to get away from it.”

The room fell silent; Anna was dumbfounded. She raked through her mind trying to find some shred of a sign from every time she spent with Hans. Damn he was thorough, she thought, because she had never found a thing that would scream ‘I’m stalking your sister!’ They all jumped when a knock pounded on the door. Elsa dried her eyes and walked to the door, bracing herself for whomever was behind it. I

t was a police officer and Elsa widened the gap between the door and the frame and invited the officer in.

“Elsa Arendelle?”

“That’s me, is there anything I can help you with?” “

Miss Arendelle, I’m Officer Johnson, we think you might be in danger, do you know a Hans Westerguard?” He held up a slim wallet opened to a license plate with Hans’s smiling face.

“Yes, he’s my sister’s boyfriend. Is something wrong?”

“Mr. Westerguard’s car was found crashed into a tree earlier this evening and the person who reported the crash said he took off into the woods after. The police searched the car and found a camera, some USB drives, an iPad, and a stack of photos all of you. Where you aware of anybody following you for awhile, Miss Arendelle?”

Elsa’s face matched her hair, “I just recently thought that someone was.”

“That’s not the most alarming thing. Why we feel that you need some protection is that also in the glove box was a half full box of ammunition, and we believe that Mr. Westerguard is armed. The person at the scene was also bleeding from a gunshot wound that supposedly came from a gun he had.”

“What should we do?” Elsa was eerily calm about the situation.

“Well, we plan on scouting the areas around where he is most likely to go. This apartment is one of those places. We could set up a stakeout and possibly entice him to come here and arrest him. Do you have another place to stay?” The officer showed no emotion at all and clearly did not notice the expressions of the young people of the room.

Whitt strode over to where the blonde stood and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, “Her and her sister can stay with me. I can take off tomorrow and help them to class or whatever. I just met Hans this evening so he probably doesn’t know where I live.”

“Good, I suggest you leave as soon as possible. My fellow officer is outside and we along with other officers will be patrolling the area until he is found. And if Mr. Westerguard calls any of you, report it to us immediately.” He handed her a card and pivoted out of the apartment.

Blindly, Elsa turned and headed for her room. She didn’t say a word but reached into the closet and pulled out two bags, throwing one at Anna. Anna followed suit matching her sister’s movements, methodically placing clothing and toiletries in the duffle.

Kristoff wandered over to where Whitt stood, “Are we just supposed to run scared? That’s letting him win. We need to stay here and put up a fight for them. He’s hurt both of them, and we’re the men to fix this. I can knock his ass down, that’s my job, literally. I’m a linebacker, he’s the quarterback, and we’re on the defensive here.”

“Look, I know you’ve got it in for him, but for once, we shouldn’t fight back. You just said how bad Elsa was after this summer, what do you think this will do to her?” Whitt ran his hands through his hair, “Let me just take them to my place and let the police do their job.”

Kristoff knew he couldn’t compete with the lawyer’s argument. 


	7. Chapter 7

The morning came too soon. Elsa woke up in an unfamiliar bed, panic seizing her chest. She grabbed the sheets; reaching for the first thing she could find which happened to be Anna’s arm. “What’s happening?”

“We’re at your boyfriend’s place remember? Hans has become some crazy psychopath out get us.” She rolled over lazily and pulled the covers over her head. “Whitt said that we’re not going to class and you don’t have to go to work.”

A shrill sound came from the corner as one of the girls’ phones went off. They both jumped at the sound as chased each other to the carpeted floor. Both phones were glowing with an indefinite amount of texts, calls and messages, all from Hans.

Whitt burst through the door when he heard screams and thud, finding Anna passed out and a shaking Elsa crawling over to the wall where an iPhone with a now shattered screen lay.

“What’s wrong? Is it him?” He made sure Anna was awake and breathing before investigating the phone. “If it is we’re taking those phones straight to the police. He’s getting out of hand. It’s hit the news already, so we’ve only got a few moments before the news stations arrive to get a story, get dressed.”

When he left Anna grabbed the remote and turned the TV on. Flashing across the bottom of the screen was the headline: “Star quarterback stalks ex-girlfriend.”

_“Westerguard was last seen late last night when he crashed his BMW and fled from the scene according to the reports of an eye witness. The eyewitness was transported to the hospital because a gunshot wound to his abdomen from Westerguard. The police found empty boxes of ammunition and dozens of pictures of his ex-girlfriend, Elsa Arendelle. Hans is dating her sister. Arendelle is the daughter of the late Senator Adgar Arendelle, and is also the girl who publicly slapped Westerguard at Sterling’s second home game against UConn.”_

“Ugh.” Elsa buried her face in a pillow that had landed on the floor. “Great, I bet one of those calls is from Uncle Fredrick.”

“Well let’s go before it gets crazy.” Anna hoisted her sister off the floor and threw a pair of jeans at the willowy blonde, just as Elsa threw a sweatshirt at the athletic redhead. All they could do was laugh at how normal the actions were, slowly reforming the broken bond.

“Hey Elsa?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too, Anna.”

\---

Whitt had called Kristoff, who then called the officer now in charge of he had dubbed “Hans watch.” The three had a police escort to the station where the media had begun to campout for any little tidbit about the quarterback-turned-stalker and the two orphaned sisters involved in the middle. Of course the news also loves a love triangle gone wrong.

Kristoff came up to the girls, “Hey your uncle called me, he’s on he just took off, he’ll be here soon. He also said not to say anything, even if you have Whitt or his dad here.”

“How’d Uncle Fredrick get your number?” Anna asked.

“Uh, this summer…you know”

“Oh right. Anyways thanks.” She gave a half-hearted shrug.

Kristoff mimicked her “Yeah, well I feel safer here.”

“Girls, will you please come with us?” Officer Johnson leaned out of a doorway, “The men can come too. Follow me.” Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Whit followed the officer through a network of desk to a small interrogation room. The room had a table and a few chairs, on the table were the phones and a tape recorder. “We’d like you to take a listen. We’re also trying to pull the phone records to see where Hans placed the phone calls so we can get a general area of where he might be.” He tapped the screen of Elsa’s iPhone. At first all there was static, then the rustle of what could have been a tree branch.

_“Elsa, listen to me. This thing with your sister means nothing. Why are you trying to make me jealous with that boy toy lawyer? Hmm? Look, I need to show you what I’ve been doing these past months. I can appreciate you more than him, just as long as you give me the appreciation you denied me freshman year. I will find you. I will make sure you notice me. I hope you’re not too attached to all these people, because they don’t matter as much as I do. You play this aloof person, but I know you. You’re a stone cold bitch who plays with emotions. These voices told me the truth and now I’m going to show you what a bitch you are. Every single person you love I will eliminate till I’m the only person you will love.”_

Hans’ voice was frantic and out of breath. Officer Johnson silently moved to Anna’s phone and again tapped to play a message.

_“Hello dear, I should have listened to you. I wreaked my car and I have no clue where I am. Look when we get back we need to talk, you say we never do, well I’m giving you what you want. I need help, there are these voices everywhere and they’re telling me to do things, bad things. I’m going crazy. Hahahaha it’s a beautiful thing. It’s freeing really, because I’m going to get rid of all the things that don’t matter. And you don’t matter, so here it is: it’s over. You. Me. Done. I never really liked you anyways. You see these voices told me to go out with you, because they need your sister. Why? I don’t know? They want her attention and they want it now. I’m coming.”_

This message had the same frantic pace but this his voice bordered on madness. Both had a menace to it that sent chills down their spines. No one in the room said a word. Anna reached for her sister’s hand and held it tightly.

The older gentleman coughed, “We believe he’s still in the area of the crash, but we’re not taking any chances. For now, just stay in public places, preferably ones Hans would no associate with you. We are continuing the stake out of your apartment and his apartment, along with Kristoff’s. These messages lead us to think that he’s out for blood. Anyone he deems as a threat to him getting to Elsa is in danger. In the mean time, we are going to keep you phones in case he calls and we can talk him in turning himself in.”

They all left the space in a daze. Back in the lobby Uncle Fredrick and Patrick Chambers, Whitt’s father and Elsa’s boss, greeted them.

“You shouldn’t be here Uncle Fredrick, Hans has gone mental and he’s got a gun!” Anna grabbed her uncle in a bear hug and hid her face in his jacket lapel. She breathed in a familiar scent and felt herself begin to relax. He wrapped his arm around the trembling girl and reached out to cajole Elsa into the embrace as well. At first she shied away but then relented to the family bonding.

“Well I’m here now girls, and I know you would much rather me be your father, I’m going to my best to protect you. I’ve talked to the police and Whitt’s father, we’ll be staying at their house outside of town.” Fredrick pivoted to his left to face Whitt and Patrick Chambers.

“Well I’m sorry that it had to be under these pretexts that I have the pleasure of meeting my niece’s boss and her boyfriend. Of course, Elsa doesn’t tell me much these days. Like how she was being followed by a homicidal football player.” He pivoted back to the blonde who sheepishly stared at the yellowed linoleum. Before anyone could explain, another officer interrupted the brief meeting.

“Excuse me, but the chief would like to make a statement to the press and want to you to be there. If you will just follow me.” He gestured to the double doors of the station that were flashing with every pop of a camera. They all filed out the doors, while Elsa hung back. Anna noticed and moved to where her older sister stood.

“Are you going to be ok? This is pretty scary and I know you don’t like large groups of people. You know what? I’ll just stand by you the entire time and hold you hand. You can squeeze it as hard as you need to, I don’t care. You can lean on the wall or whatever and if they ask why you’re not in front, we’ll just say you don’t want Hans to see your or something, ‘cause like, yeah, they don’t need to know stuff. And-“

“Anna you’re rambling again which means you’re just as scared as I am. Don’t lie. We are going to go out there and put on a brave face, because we want to show Hans we’re not scared of him. And if they want us to say something, we will, ok? I’ve been getting better about my issues and doing things that I may not want to do is the only way to help. But I do want you to hold my hand.” She offered a small smile as she took Anna’s hand in hers and pushed the doors open. The effect was blinding, as there were camera flashes and studio lights set up for the broadcasts and recordings of the statements. There had to over fifty or so reporters from different news outlets in the area and nationwide. All were poised with their microphones at the ready for and little bit of news they could get. The room buzzed with excitement as the girls finally came out of the station. The chief of police cleared his throat in order to gain the attention of the crowd.

“Thank you again for joining us here this morning. As you all know the starting quarterback for Sterling State University, Hans Westerguard is missing. The police are currently looking for him in connection to an event last night where he crashed his car while drunk and then shot a witness and fled the scene. We believe Mr. Westerguard is armed. He has made contact with two people that we know of, his girlfriend and his ex-girlfriend. We believe him to be stalking his ex-girlfriend. We believe this because of the messages he has left on their phones and because of pictures found in the glove box of the car he was driving. We monitoring the situation and all people involved keeping not only them, but also the community safe. We are asking everyone in the areas around where Hans was last seen and the areas we believe he might be going to stay indoors and if they see a suspicious person on their doorstep to call the police immediately. That is all the information I can give now but I will take a few questions.”

Reporters fought each other to gain the first question. Hands shoved microphones and recorders up to the landing where the chief held court. Voices shouted over one another, jockeying for the prime position, many heading toward the sisters.

“To answer the question most of you are asking about, yes the two women are related, but they have been advised to not speak to the press until the suspect has been taken into custody. So as not give away their safe place.”The chief gave a curt nod and then walked back inside, beckoning the rest to follow. “There is a back exit you can use to leave. We’ll have an officer follow you and station them outside the house. If anything comes up or if you feel unsafe, let one of the officers know immediately. Before you go though, I’d like to speak to Elsa and Anna individually please.” 


	8. Chapter 8

“He never did anything to make a think he was up to something. He was a little aggressive at times, but I never was afraid of him until two nights ago.” Anna felt like the walls in the room were beginning to close in on her, the chief, and Mr. Chambers. The elder Chambers insisted on sitting in with both girls, just as a precaution.

He had pulled her aside before she sat down, “Anna, I know you did do anything, but given the situation, they may try to get you to say you were involved somehow.”

“But I would never do anything to hurt Elsa. Why would they try to do that?” She widened her eyes in fear.

“Well you two didn’t speak for a while these past couple of months, that’s enough leverage to try and push a case, plus it doesn’t help that your fingerprints are all over the BMW and the camera.”

“The camera? Well I mean we used it to take pictures, Hans is a pretty good photographer and he was teaching me some things- wait, he’s been planning this hasn’t he? He knew that they would find that stuff and try and connect me to this, so he’d get less blame. That son of a bitch knew what he was doing the entire time didn’t he?” Anna balled her hands in tight fists, consumed with rage for being so stupid for not seeing things along the way.

“Miss Arendelle, I asked you if you knew that Hans had copies of your sister’s medical records in his apartment. Are you listening?” The chief’s stern voice pulled her from her infuriated thoughts.

“Why would he want her medical records?”

“Let me clarify, they were your sister’s mental health records. Was he trying to plan a mental breakdown?” He pushed a manila folder toward her opened to show the records. She couldn’t help but take a small look at the piece of paper. Even knowing what she knew now, Anna still felt like some piece of the puzzle that was her sister was missing. All she saw was a list of medicines written in a foreign language.

She stifled a snort, “Too late for that. He almost caused her to kill herself this summer after breaking into her apartment.”

“Yes, your sister mentioned that as well and we are re-opening that case in conjunction with this one. They still have fingerprints on file and are in the process of trying to match them. Hopefully we’ll have more answers on that in the morning. That’s all the questions we have right now. When you get to the safe place, try to say inside as much as possible, and if you need to go anywhere alert an officer.” She simply nodded her head, too exhausted to do anything else. Mr. Chambers put a reassuring hand on her arm and led her back to the main lobby. The group made arrangements to get to the Chambers’ house. Anna and Elsa agreed to ride together and held hands the whole way there.

\---

Kristoff was amazed at the sheer size of the house. Patrick Chambers sure had gotten the better deal in the divorce. The ornate, three story Victorian sat on three acres of land that was bordered by the Hudson River. There was a carriage house, a barn and a guesthouse in addition to the main twelve-room home. The inside was recently updated to a traditional style with a large chef’s kitchen and a basement theater.

Anna was equally as amazed about the house, but not because of its size. No it was about the same size as their home in Connecticut had been. No, the feeling was because she was now realizing the change in her sister. She had to take a step back out of the kitchen to watch the synchrony her sister had with Whitt.

Elsa had declared that it was lunchtime when they arrived and she began to look in the pantry for food. She quickly made lunchmeat sandwiches and then had found pork tenderloin and vegetables. The pork had been seasoned and placed in a crock-pot for later that night. She had never seen her sister smile so much in all her life.

“They make each other happy huh?” Patrick Chambers reflected Anna’s inner thoughts. “This house hasn’t had a woman’s touch since the divorce. I didn’t even know we had a crock-pot! Those two,” he pointed to the kitchen, “Are made for each other. When I first met Elsa two and half years ago, she barely spoke. And Whitt is finally getting out of his ‘I hate everything’ phase that started in high school.”

“How did they meet? I mean, I know Whitt now helps at the firm, but like are they couple or something?” Anna air quoted the word couple.

“They’ve been pretty serious that last few weeks so I’d say they’re something.” He chuckled. “Elsa doesn’t speak much about her personal life to you? Don’t worry she doesn’t say much to anyone. They met last spring when Whitt visited over his last break from law school. They exchanged numbers and that was it. Then they started speaking over summer when Whitt finally moved back up here. He ultimately didn’t ask her out till I told him to back in September. See the truth is, Anna, I think of your sister like the daughter I’ve never had. I think some of that is because I’m humbled to be one of the handful of people she trusts. And before you ask, I know about everything, up to the Hans part. I’ve given her advice and helped her decide to go to law school after she graduates. By extension, even though I just met you, I feel like you’re part of the family too. I don’t know if you know, but once started on the topic, Elsa can’t stop telling everyone how proud she is of you. When you made the cheerleading squad at SSU she told everyone. She has a picture of you from your high school graduation on her desk and whenever someone asks, she tells them about how you graduated top of your class. She loves you even after these past two months. Again I know about that too. She asked me how to talk to you.” He gave a warm smile.

“I guess it has been tough for her to try and be herself and be a parent for me after our parents died. I was mad at her when she made me go live with Uncle Fredrick. But I know now she wanted what was best for me. Truthfully I didn’t think she cared about me, we grew apart, as we got older. Even when we were little she never told me anything.” She turned her focus back to the kitchen where Whitt was helping put the lunch dishes away. “Thank you for helping her.”

“You’re welcome, but Whitt has done more than I have. He somehow cracked the code.” The older gentleman turned toward the living room leaving Anna with her thoughts. In the moments that had passed she didn’t notice that the kitchen was now empty. She heard soft laughter coming from the covered patio and blushed at hearing what should have been a private conversation.

Kristoff sat on the large leather couch paying little attention to the football game on the flat screen. He combed through his mind how he had ever gotten involved with the mess he was in currently. Obviously there was freshman year, but he shook his head, he couldn’t have let Hans abuse Elsa or any girl. Which is why he always told girls to stay away from him. Most didn’t listen to him; they only cared about his reputation. Kristoff liked Elsa, she was a friend, but then there was Anna. She was a friend or so he thought. She knew how to push his buttons, mainly the one where he didn’t trust Hans. He sometimes found her downright annoying. Her cheerleading practices usually coincided with the football practices and she would always come over and joke and annoy him or Hans. Hans always brushed her off, which caused her to fall to pieces that Kristoff picked up. Every time this happened he held his tongue, knowing Elsa told him not to tell her. After a few weeks though he had noticed that he started holding his tongue for other reasons. The way she smiled and smoothed her hair from her face, how her cheeks blushed when his hand skimmed hers accidently after she dropped the megaphone. No he held his tongue because when that happened, she said she was with Hans. Now that his true nature had come to light, Kristoff knew he had to speak up.

He felt the couch cushion dip when Anna bounced onto the far end. She grinned and blew on the mug of coca, “Want a sip?” she held the mug toward him. With a steady hand he grasped the drink.

“For someone who just found out that her ex-boyfriend is a crazy, possibly murderous man who hears voices and is stalking your sister, you seem happy.”

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess I am happy. Yes he is my ex, and yes we could be danger, but my sister’s happy and I’m- Well I don’t really know what I am right now.” Her expression soured. “When I think about it, I’m actually kind of mad at myself, you know? It was there and Elsa tried, but I was being stubborn. I wanted to tell her I didn’t need her to take care of me, because when our parents died she didn’t want to take care of me. But she really was, the entire time, and now we’re in this mess because I didn’t listen.”

“You shouldn’t blame yourself for all of this. There are several of us here who should be blamed.” He passed the coca back across the couch. The blond thought of some way to bring up the subject, wanting to be more than friends. What if she didn’t return his feelings? He blinked several times, startled by face only inches from his.

“Whatcha think about? You got this weird look on your face, like that time you got a football to the gut. I must say if that is your thinking face, I’d go see a specialist about that. They do have tutors so you don’t have to hurt yourself.” Anna had a cheeky grin on her face, laughter bubbling up until she couldn’t control herself. “I’m sorry that was a really bad insult. I don’t think on feet much. One time it took me three hours to think of a comeback when Elsa made fun of me for something.” She mockingly launched herself over the cushion separating them, her head landing on his upper arm. Kristoff found the scene too dramatic for his taste. She let out a contented sigh. “I could help you study sometime, if you like.”

“What could you help me study, you’re a freshman remember? I could help you study.” Maybe she did like him? She was confusing! Anna had just nonchalantly asked him to study like it was no big deal. Or was he making this a big deal? He knew that he always overthought little things like this. Kristoff was half listening to her ramble on about her classes. He watched her play with the end of her braid and decided to test the waters. He lifted his arm causing her head to fall against his side and rested his hand next to her elbow.

“I guess it’s a study date then?” Anna smiled again.

“It is.”


	9. Chapter 9

Hans was amazed at the time he had taken to get back to the small college town. The cold early December air had sobered him during the hike in the woods. He had followed close the main road into town, but still deep enough in the woods to keep from being seen. He knew that he was being hunted now, for he had heard the sirens and wails of the police coming and going from where he left his car. Hans had contemplated being caught, but thought against it. He had an ultimatum to make. It was going to be him or nothing. The dalliance with this lawyer was just a rouse of some sort. The voices had guided him to outskirt the town. He glanced at the almost dead iPhone in his hand. He tapped a news app, his face looked back at him. Clicking on a link, video of a press conference began to play. In the background were all the people in his way to Elsa. He smiled; yes they were going to be together. They were going make this too easy for him. The only problem is that he didn’t know where they were going to be. Their apartment would have police all around it; any place associated with them would have some form of police presence. He made a mental list of all the places where they wouldn’t go. There were two older gentlemen in the video; one he remembered was their uncle. He had met him when he took Elsa to id her parents. The other gentleman then was, the lawyer’s father? How could he forget? Of course it was he recalled looking at the website, yes the other man was the elder Chambers.

Using the last of the iPhone’s battery he pulled up a web search and tapped out the name of the law firm. Getting the older man’s name, he pasted it into another search. Hans thanked God that the first listing was the White Pages, giving away their hiding spot. He knew exactly where address was. Heading east he found the river and started en route to the residence.

Twenty minutes later a clearing appeared before him. The lights that shone lit the entire area. Even from this distance he could see in the large windows figures walking about the house. His eyes settled on a flash of platinum hair. Elsa was hugging the lawyer, Hans didn’t care was his name was. He growled, once again this whole thing was blowing up in his face. This was bringing them closer. Hans cursed, the voices were upset that this was not going the way they had planned. They wanted blood, but he did not know whose it was. The voices were changing fast and now a standoff seemed like the perfect thing to get the blood they so desperately wanted.

Hans continued to watch the pair move to the covered patio. Their heads were bent toward each other. He could not make out what they were doing or saying, but any little thing they did set his nerves on edge. He figured that he would try and get closer to the house and took note of the group of pine trees by the corner of the carriage house. At breakneck speed Hans darted for the trees. This vantage point was better; he could now look into the full first floor through a set of perfectly place windows. Keeping a close eye out for any police officers that might be patrolling, he crouched to the ground to get even closer to the window. The patio and porch was now empty. Hans groped for the wall in the dark, gaining purchase on a door handle. The door handle wiggled and sprung open with ease.

Inside his head the voices began to scream.

\---

The house was quiet. Too quiet. Elsa shifted in the bed; the weight of the whole day was crashing down on her. She sat up and held her head in her hands. Knowing that she would get much sleep tonight she went downstairs to the kitchen to find some tea. Tea was the only thing that could help her relax enough to at least be able to keep her eyes closed. Setting the kettle on the stove to boil she busied herself by putting away the dry dinner dishes. The overhead kitchen light being switched on momentarily blinded her. Anna blinked as if she was seeing a ghost.

“What are you doing up?”

“I couldn’t sleep. I thought some tea could help. Everything is just closing in on me. I feel like I’m drowning in my own thoughts. I just wish mom and dad were here. They’d make everything seem ok. Remember when grandma died and took us to see Phantom in the city? He said it was her favorite show and that she had always wanted to take us, but she had gotten too sick. Dad made us remember her as happy and healthy. I just wish I knew what they’d do now, so I could help you. Because I know that no matter how hard I try, I’ll never be that kind of parent to you, or even my own kids whenever I have them. If ever have them. I’ve been so worried about myself, about you and about Hans that I’ve completely forgot how to be normal."

“I’m just as stubborn as you, really. All I wanted was to try and make you see how Hans really was and I should just focused on how happy you were.” Elsa’s shoulders dropped in defeat. Anna held Elsa in a fierce hug.

“I wish they were here too, but that doesn’t make you any less of a person for trying to be three different people. I rather you try and be three different people and fail spectacularly than be one person and be a successful asshole. Whatever that means, honestly, because I should have seen that you were trying your hardest all along. But don’t think that you have to be my parent; I want you to be my sister.”

The creak of the back door and the shrill squeal of the kettle caused both girls to jump. The snow had picked up and blew into the kitchen. The porch light eliminated a tall figure. The figure staggered into the room. It was Hans.

Was he sight. His clothes were dingy after a night spent walking through the woods. His forehead was a dark scarlet from the blood that had dried. The button down shirt that was crisp and neat the night before was wrinkled and ripped from a tree branch. Before he could come any further into the house, Elsa grabbed the kettle from the stove and threw the boiling water at Hans. He screamed a reached for his face pawing at the newly forming burns.

“What the hell was that bitch?” He roared, lunging for the sisters. Anna spun out of his reach and shoved him in the corner of the island. The gun fell the floor.

“Get him outside!” Elsa shouted the order to Anna as she kicked the gun away from his foot. Hans grabbed her in a chokehold and calmly picked up the gun.

“Why yes I will go outside, why don’t you follow me!” his maniacal laughter left a sinking feeling in both of their stomachs. Whitt, Kristoff, Patrick and Fredrick all came running into the kitchen as Hans dragged Elsa out the door. They all pursued the two as he grew closer and closer to the river. The blonde dug her heels into the snowy ground trying to prevent the quarterback from pulling her any more. They both were suddenly knocked to the slush of the riverbank by a strong force. Kristoff stared down his teammate. “What are you doing?”

“My job. Linebacker is responsible for sacking the quarterback. And I’ll gladly take you down again.” He pulled his fist back and when it connected with Hans’ jaw there was a sickening crunch. The distraction allowed for Elsa to roll away. Kristoff and Hans both locked eyes on the Colt lying mere inches from them. The scuffle was brief as they rolled in the dirt and Hans got the upper hand. The silence of the night became deafening when a shot rang out from the 45.

Kristoff eyes grew wide as his shoulder of his shirt blossomed crimson. Anna let out a yelp of fear and rushed over to him. “You monster!” she didn’t know what came over her as she beat her hands upon Hans’ chest with all her might.

“Anna get away from him!” Elsa held a hand out the redhead.

“Elsa let me take care of this.” Whitt squared his shoulders to take Hans head on. In his hand was a fireplace poker. She threw her other free arm out across his chest to block his way.

Before she could say a word twisted chuckling came from Hans. His eyes were wild, clouded with an evil glint that proved that the voices had taken him completely. “Yes, Mr. Lawyer! Let’s take care of this! Thank you for taking care of her while she strayed from me, but your services are not longer required.” He leveled the gun to the height of Whitt’s chest. Elsa stepped in front of her boyfriend.

“I’ll go! Just don’t shoot another person!” She was shivering, either from the cold or the fear, and took a small step toward Hans, hands outstretched. “Put the gun down Hans and I’ll go with you. Ok? I’m sorry.” She wondered where the police were; she continued to try and stall Hans. He tentatively held her hand. She looked him straight in the eyes. She proceeded with her pleas, “I’m sorry for ignoring you and being mean. You helped me freshman year and I threw it away.”

“I knew you would see it my way. But I’m not sorry it had to come to this. You were foolish for dragging these people into it. Look at all the faces around you that I have to get rid of now. Because if I don’t they’ll just take you away again and I can’t have that. You are mine and I will make you show me the respect and attention I deserve.” The panic once present in his demeanor had been replaced by a tranquil peace as Hans revealed his intentions. Hushed sobs came from Anna who was being helped by their uncle to stop Kristoff’s bleeding. Whitt’s father had left the scene unnoticed to get help. He skirted around Elsa to stand a foot away from Whitt. “I’ll start with you first.”

In his speech he had kept his head up, not realizing that while he was speaking the poker had switched owners. The two men began to circle readying for a fight. The water lapped at their feet. A piercing cry broke the concentration of the two as Elsa took a running leap at Hans. The poker punctured his lower abdomen and the force sent him flying into the river. Whitt caught Elsa before she accompanied him into the freezing water.

Lights appeared on the outskirts of the property as Patrick led the police to the bank. Radios crackled with voices communicating back and forth the extent of the situation. Anna’s ears felt like they were full of cotton, faintly hearing one ask for a paramedic. Red and blue colored the darkness as she watched a small number of officers pulled a wounded Hans out of the water. A heavy blanket was wrapped around her shoulders as she was lifted and escorted to the house.

The next few hours were a blur for all of them. Kristoff was rushed to the hospital, more upset that he was going to miss the last games of the season than being alive. Everyone else was relatively unscathed from the night, with Elsa jokingly stating that no amount of therapy was going to help her now. That comment got her a damnable glare from Anna. One by one, each of them answered questions and retold what had transpired.


	10. Epilogue

“In the days that followed there were more questions. Hans was to undergo a mental evaluation. His bond was place at $150,000, which his family refused to pay, disgraced by their son’s insanity. News crews around America descended upon the small college town, all trying to get word with the sisters in the heart of the investigation.”

A student in the back of the auditorium raised his hand, “Was Hans ever found guilty?”

“Funny you should ask that, yes he was, but you would have known that if you read the book.” The other students in the room snickered. “I only gave you the condensed version to give you the background of the case as the book goes more in depth and explores many more issues.” The professor tossed the book she had being reading aloud to the class on to the desk.

“Which I suggest you read, as you are required to write a paper analyzing both the prosecution and the defense.” A loud grumble came from the students. “I shouldn’t be hearing complaints, you are all in your second semester of law school, surely you know how to analyze arguments, and otherwise you wouldn’t be in my class. I expect the papers to be on my desk by Monday morning, class dismissed.” The noises of papers being shuffled and seats creaking with stress filled the air.

“Oh! I forgot, these papers will be read by both my husband and I. As you all know, he is a lawyer too. And for those of you who did not read the book or put two and two together, I have first hand knowledge of the case. Also I did write the book. I’m looking forward to your papers.” Elsa smiled as she watched the light blubs go off around the lecture hall. Every year it was the same. Her college experience had become the thing that determined who would either pass or fail her class. In her eight years as a professor of law, her class had become the class to put the fear of God in prospective law students.

Elsa had come a long way since that winter, but she still remembered the night like it was yesterday. It had been fifteen years. The two that had directly followed that night did include major therapy for both her and Anna, but she never once relapsed or given into her anxiety. Her bond with her sister had only gotten stronger. Anna and Kristoff admitted to each other their feelings the second Kristoff had been released from the hospital. Whitt never left her side throughout the trial and countless therapy sessions. As she walked from the hall she smiled. Sometimes all it took was a horrible experience to bring people together.

She pulled a letter from her purse. It was dated two days prior. She had started receiving the letters once a week for the past twelve years. Every one recounted days spent in therapy sessions much like the ones she endured during her youth. Every one also ended with an apology. Any everyone she sent back included an acceptance of the apology. She checked her watch, she could still make visiting hours.

\---

Elsa initialed and made her signature across the page of the sign in sheet. She marked who she was seeing. After five minutes the warden called her name. “Mr. Westerguard has agreed to see you.” Elsa clipped the badge to her lapel and followed to the visiting room. Hans sat across from her, plexiglass separating them.

“Hello Elsa.”

“Hans.” She gave a curt nod.

“Is it that time of the year again? The big paper of your book?”

“It is.”

He leaned back in the chair. “I can’t wait to hear the stories this time. Every year they seem to get wilder and wilder. How are the kids?”

They went back and forth for the next half hour asking and answering questions. Elsa told of her youngest scoring the winning goal in his soccer game. Hans told of his new hobby: playing the piano. Again she had to smile, this time at the irony of the friendship. It had started out awkwardly at first, after all he did stalk her and tried to kill her husband, but soon it had become a therapy unto itself. Even in trying to hurt each other long ago, they had become each other’s remedy. So her she was, once a month visiting her stalker. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.


End file.
